Marauders Face Oyster River in NHIAA Quarterfinals

Hanover faces longtime NHIAA playoff rival Oyster River in the tournament Quarterfinals in a match scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Merriman-Branch Field. The two teams faced off earlier this year in the same location, with the Marauders wining a tightly-contested 2-0 decision on goals by Eric Jayne and Trey Rebman.

Hanover will see an entirely different team, according to Coach Rob Grabill. "Oyster River is playing with a lot of confidence right now, " he commented. "They are on a five-game undefeated streak against some of the best teams in the state, and they will come in here with absolutely no fear. Their last game here was their second in two days, and they played very well. With the extra rest, they have every right to be confident, especially with their commitment to defense."

No two teams in the history of the NHIAA have played as often. Hanover and Oyster River have met a total 16 times, beginning in 1964. They have met five times in the NHIAA Finals. They hold more state championships that any other large (Division One or Two) schools, with 16 and 11 titles respectively. They define excellence in high school soccer.

The last four meetings of the two teams in playoff competition have resulted in overtime. Seven of the last twelve regular season and playoff games have been tied at the end of regulation. Hanover's most recent playoff encounter with Oyster River was in 2008 in the NHIAA Semifinals at Stellos Stadium. After a scoreless regulation, the Marauders blanked the Bobcats in shootout, featuring the goalkeeping prowess of Rhys Cyrus, who stopped all three Oyster River attempts. Ben Rimmer, Henry Caldwell and Yosef Osheyack converted their shootout attempts for the win.

The regular-season meetings between Hanover and OR in 2008 and 2007 were both scoreless ties, both played at Oyster River. In 2006, the Bobcats beat Hanover 1-0 on the last game played between the two teams on the HHS grass field, and in the NHIAA Semifinals that year, Hanover won in overtime on a sudden death strike by Casey Maue.

From 2000-2003, Oyster River beat Hanover six games in a row, including three times in the playoffs, during s stretch in which the Bobcats won three straight NHIAA titles. That set the standard for large school success until Hanover's recent run of five Class I titles.

So much for the past. This Saturday, all of those records, and this year's regular season result, go out the window. The only game that maters is the one at hand, and either team would trade all of that history for a result on the rug, and a chance to head back to Stellos Stadium next Wednesday. These worthy opponents have an opportunity to add their own chapter to the history, and the hope here is that they both honor the game,and produce a match worthy of watching.